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Federal Judge Denies Block on ICE Operation in Minnesota
A U.S. District judge has ruled against a lawsuit seeking to halt “Operation Metro Surge,” a recent increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Minnesota. The decision, made by U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez on Saturday, marks a win for the Biden administration, which has defended the operation as a successful effort to apprehend individuals prioritized for deportation.
Why it matters: The ruling allows the biden administration’s increased enforcement efforts to continue in Minnesota while the lawsuit proceeds. The administration has stated Operation Metro Surge has resulted in thousands of arrests of individuals with criminal convictions or posing a national security risk.
- The decision arrives shortly after 37-year-old Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti was fatally shot by a federal agent during an ICE operation.
What the judge said: “Ultimately, the Court finds that the balance of harms does not decisively favor an injunction,” Judge Menendez stated in her ruling.
- Menendez acknowledged that the plaintiffs had presented “a strong showing” that Operation Metro Surge “will likely continue to have, profound and even heartbreaking, consequences.”
- She also noted evidence suggesting potential racial profiling, excessive force, and other misconduct by ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.
- However,the judge determined these concerns were not sufficient to outweigh
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